Particle.news
Download on the App Store

UK Opens Formal Probe Into X’s Grok as Indonesia and Malaysia Block the AI Over Sexualized Deepfakes

Regulators call X’s paywall for Grok’s image tools inadequate, warning the platform could face heavy fines or even blocking under new safety laws.

Overview

  • Ofcom launched a formal investigation into whether Grok-enabled image generation on X breaches the UK Online Safety Act, with potential penalties of up to 10% of global turnover or 18 million pounds and the option to seek a court-ordered block.
  • Indonesia and Malaysia suspended access to Grok, citing protection of women and children from AI-generated pornographic deepfakes and ordering stricter safeguards.
  • The European Commission directed xAI to preserve internal Grok records for ongoing inquiries as it questions X’s compliance with EU digital laws.
  • X limited Grok’s image generation and editing to paying subscribers, a step UK and EU officials deemed insufficient after reports that thousands of sexualized images were being produced per hour.
  • Political pressure intensified as UK leaders and EU officials condemned the images, U.S. senators urged Apple and Google to remove X and Grok from app stores, and Elon Musk attacked the UK government as “fascist,” while U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance was reported to call the misuse unacceptable.